Wu du (1978)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Cheh Chang

Writers:

Cheh Chang (writer)
Kuang Ni (writer)

Release Date:

12 August 1978 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Action

Tagline:

Pick Your Poison!

Plot:

A dying teacher instructs his final student to check on the activities of five former pupils, each of...

Plot Keywords:

Kung Fu | Mask | Martial Arts | Kung Fu Master | Judge

Cast

Sheng Chiang	...	Yang Tieh
Philip Kwok	...	He Yuan-xin, Gecko / Lizard (as Kuo Chui)
Feng Lu	...	Zhang Yiao-tian, Centipede
Pai Wei	...	Qi Dong, Snake
Chien Sun	...	Ma Chow, Scorpion
Meng Lo	...	Liang Shen, Toad
Lung Wei Wang	...	Judge
Feng Ku	...	Yuen
Shu Pei Sun
Liu Huang Shih
Lao Shen
Hui Huang Lin
Ching Ho Wang
Wan Han Cheng
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Fai Wong Lam
Dick Wei	...	Master (as Tu Lung)

Also Known As:

Five Venoms (International: English title) (UK) (video title)
Five Deadly Venoms (USA)
Ng duk (Hong Kong: Cantonese title)
The Five Deadly Venoms (USA) (dubbed version)
The Five Venoms (Hong Kong: English title) (original subtitled version)

Runtime:

Hong Kong:97 min

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-15 | USA:R | Hong Kong:IIB

Company:

Shaw Brothers

Trivia:

The "snake" role was originally intended for a woman.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: Near the end where Lizard, Scorpion and the last pupil confront Snake and Centipede at the Snake's home, Lizard addresses Centipede as, "Number 5." The Centipede was actually "Number 1," and was referred to as such throughout the rest of the movie. The Toad was "Number 5," and was referred to as such throughout the rest of the movie. This is undoubtedly an error in the English dubbing, not in the original Chinese dialogue.

Quotes:

Qi Dong, Snake: I came from a wealthy family. I've joined the clan because I wanted to learn a special kung-fu, be a real expert, but in actual fact, I've just become a killer. Killings : That all I know. Damn. Every day. Another. When Liang Shen died, it was the first time I felt it prick my conscience. Then to hide that one, we've killed again : First Wong Fa and then Ling Xuong.
Ma Chow, Scorpion: You've just asked me "When will it end?" Well let me tell you: Once an evil deed is done, then it never ends... it goes on and it goes on forever.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Cinema Hong Kong: Kung Fu (2003) (TV)

To the Point!!

After reviewing this intense martial arts movie for the first time in nearly 18 years, I must say it did not lose any of its mysticism, nor any of its eye-popping martial arts action as I had remembered from my youth. The story of a dying martial arts instructor sending his "unfinished" pupil out to find the 5 past members of his Poison Clan, so they do not seek out a fortune which the master's friend keeps hidden. Afraid that his last pupil did not have enough training, he instructs him to befriend one of the five "venoms" so as to defeat the other four.

I can't say enough about the choreography or the camera work. A fine film in its own right and quite possible one of the best martial arts movies ever made. A CLASSIC!!